Can I import into India without an IEC?

Not for commercial goods. The Importer Exporter Code from DGFT is mandatory on every bill of entry. It is issued online within a few days, needs a PAN and a bank account, and is linked to your GST registration. We can guide the application if you do not have one.

How do I know the duty rate before I order?

The rate depends on the eight-digit ITC-HS code, the country of origin and any trade agreement. We classify the product from its description, composition and use, check the tariff and any anti-dumping duty, and issue a landed cost sheet. That sheet is what to compare against the supplier's quote.

What is the difference between IGST on imports and GST on domestic purchases?

IGST on imports is paid to customs at the time of clearance rather than to the supplier, and it is calculated on the assessable value plus customs duty. It is creditable in your GST return like any other input tax, so for a GST-registered importer it is a cash flow cost rather than a final cost.

Do I need BIS certification to import electronics?

Many electronic and IT products are under the BIS compulsory registration scheme, which requires the overseas manufacturer to register the product model with BIS before it can be imported. The registration takes weeks and is done by the manufacturer, so it must be settled before the order. We check the list against the HS code for you.

Can QShip arrange the freight from the supplier as well?

Yes. On FOB or FCA terms we book the ocean or air freight from the supplier's port or airport, insure the cargo, and file the bill of entry against our own shipment, which keeps one team responsible from the supplier's door to yours. On CIF terms we take over at the Indian port.

Import compliance and documentation

Import Logistics

Import logistics is the compliance side of bringing goods into India: classifying the product, calculating the duty and IGST, checking whether a licence or BIS certificate is needed, filing the bill of entry and paying the duty, then delivering the cleared goods. QShip handles it for Indian businesses importing inputs, machinery and finished goods.

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What is the landed cost of an import into India?

Landed cost is what the goods cost at your door, not what the supplier invoiced. For an import into India it is the supplier's price plus freight and insurance, plus customs duty and cess, plus IGST, plus port, clearance and delivery charges. We calculate it line by line before the order is placed, because the duty on some products doubles the price and the time to find that out is before the goods ship.

Landed cost build-up for a sea import into India
Line	How it is calculated
Assessable value	CIF value: goods plus freight plus insurance, plus one percent landing charge
Basic customs duty	A percentage of the assessable value, set by the eight-digit HS code
Social welfare surcharge	Ten percent of the basic duty
IGST	Applied on assessable value plus duty plus surcharge; creditable against your GST
Port and clearance	Terminal handling, CFS, documentation, broker fees
Delivery	Drayage or trucking from the port or ICD to your warehouse

Which documents does an import into India need?

Commercial invoice and packing list from the supplier, with HS codes and Incoterm
Bill of lading or air waybill, endorsed to you or issued to your order
Bill of entry, filed by the customs broker on ICEGATE
Certificate of origin, needed to claim a preferential duty rate under a trade agreement
Import licence, BIS certificate, WPC approval, FSSAI or drug licence where the product requires one
Insurance certificate if you insured the shipment, or the supplier's if bought CIF

What should you agree with the overseas supplier?

1Fix the Incoterm: FOB or FCA gives you control of the freight and the insurance; CIF leaves it with the supplier
2Require the invoice and packing list to show the eight-digit HS code you have classified, not the supplier's guess
3Ask for the bill of lading to be consigned to your company with the IEC on it, and for telex release where possible
4Confirm the wooden packing is ISPM 15 treated, or the shipment will be fumigated at the port at your cost
5Agree who applies for any certificate of origin, and under which trade agreement
6Send the shipping details to QShip before the vessel sails so the bill of entry can be pre-filed

How long does import clearance take at Indian ports?

With the bill of entry filed before arrival and the duty paid on assessment, most sea imports clear within one to three working days of the vessel discharging. Air imports at Delhi airport can clear the same day. Examinations, valuation queries and missing documents add days, and every day past the free period costs demurrage on the container and storage on the cargo.

The way to keep the clock short is to have the classification, the licence check and the documents settled before the goods leave the supplier. That is most of what this service is.

How does import logistics connect to the freight?

Once the compliance is in place, the goods move by ocean freight or air freight, are cleared through customs clearance at the port or airport, and are hauled to your warehouse by drayage or trucking. Those pages cover the transit times and the charges. This page covers the part that decides whether the shipment clears at all, and what it really costs.

How does a import logistics booking work with QShip?

1
Classify and cost
HS code fixed, duty and IGST calculated, licence and BIS requirements checked, landed cost issued.
2
Set the supplier up
Incoterm, document wording, consignee details and packing agreed with the supplier before dispatch.
3
Pre-file
Bill of entry filed on ICEGATE before the vessel or aircraft arrives.
4
Clear
Assessment, duty payment, examination attended if selected, out of charge obtained.
5
Deliver
Container or cargo moved from the port or airport to your warehouse within free time.

Questions customers ask

Transit times, charges and document requirements on this page were last reviewed on 5 September 2026.